CYPRIOTS MARCH

Britain is reminded
of Byron's heritage

EVERAL oS Cypriots
stood bareheaded in Hyde

Park on March 24 to honor
a great Englishman. They
watched in silence as Lord

Listowel, to mark Greek In-
dependence Day, laid a wreath
at Byron’s statue.

For the poet Byron, as a
great blue and white banner
carried by two young Cypriots
proclaimed, fought for Greek
freedom in the war against the
Turks in 182

“Today,” said Lord Listowel,
“we do well to remember that
Greek freedom means freedom
for all Greek-speaking people
in the Mediterranean area.”

This point was driven home
as the Cypriots marched in a
great column through the
streets.

To the music of pipes, head-
ed by national flags carried
by young men and women in
Greek costume, the marchers
carried posters urging “join us
to end the bloodshed in Cyp-
rus.”

In the procession marched
six young men manacled to-
gether and roped to a gallows,
a grim reminder of the state
of affairs on the island today.

LORD BYRON

' Heritage of the past’

HE trade union newspaper
Trud has admitted there
are some prostitutes in the
Soviet Union. It urged severe
punishment for those violators
of the basic law of socialism:
“Who does not work, does not
eat.”

The newspaper described
the “so-called girls of light
conduct” who seek “pickups.”

Trud said there is no law

under which these women can
be punished, “although they

basic law of our
ciety — he who does not work,
does

impossible to
about this, impossible shame-
fully to close the eyes and say

have committed a crime against
our morals.”

violated the
socialist so-

“Haven't they

9”

not eat?
The newspaper Said “it is
remain silent

this doesn’t exist here.”
It said only a few individu-

als were carrying on this way
of life —
past.”

“a heritage of the

OPEN FORUM

A Native comments

GEORGE COLLINS, Van-
couver, B.C.: Just a few words
from a Native on the question
of Native Indians in this prov-
ince.

One hundred years ago there
was a large population of hunt-
ers and fishermen in B.C., all
Natives. Quite close to 100,000
I’m told.

Today it would be possible
for a Native given equal rights
(which still do not exist) to
produce for his own use many
times the amount! needed, by
the use of modern methods.
How can one account, then,
for the fact that so many Na-
tives live in squalid condi-
tions?

To be able to produce by
modern methods requires edu-
cation. Natives should have
educational facilities equal to
those of their white neigh-
bors. Why do schools for Na-
tives teach by different
methods, much inferior to the
training received in regular

_public schools?

Certain statesmen often re-
mark about Native adults tak-
ing to drink and neglecting
their children. Are these

“statesmen” free of all respons-
ibility for these children, if
the adults are not fit parents?

Often I have heard it said
that people who haven't jobs
“don’t want to work,” the Na-
tives being used as an example.
This is simply. not true,

There are sO many questions
that the powers-that-be refuse
to answer. People of every
different race and creed have
no alternative but to combine
(in unity is strength) and even-
tually force their hand.

Prizewinning letters

Each week the Paci-
fic Tribune will present
a book to the writer of
the most interesting, en-
tertaining and _ topical
letter published on this
page. Contributors sare
urged to. keep their let-
ters to a. reasonable
length.

The prize-winning let-
ter in our last issue was
written by A. E. Phillips,
North Vancouver, B.C.

Capital punishment

ANTON POPOWICH, Van-
B.C.:

passes by without police in-

couver, Hardly a week
vestigation proving that some
innocent man somewhere is

serving time for a crime he

did not commit. Time has
turned up more correct evi-
dence.

But in cases where capital
punishment applied, many an
innocent victim has hanged for
he insisted he did
not commit and of which later

a murder

investigations proved him in-
nocent. But he was hanged,
and nobody can restore his
life, though his good name and
character may be vindicated.

Is justice being properly ad-
ministered in Canada? Should
capital punishment be abolish-
ed so that gross infractions: of
justice can be avoided?

To study the question right- -

ly, should we have a five-year
suspension of capital punish-
ment?

Hal Griffin

jt IS A tragedy for this province that

at the very time thousands of dol-
lars are being spent on preparations
for next year’s centennial, the historic
building that housed the first legisla-
tures should be destroyed by fire.

The old legislative hall

that burned to the ground
last week had little to com-
mend it to posterity except
the history that had been
made within its walls. Vis-
itors to Victoria were in-
trigued by its “birdcage”
architecture and called it
quaint. Few found it beau-
tiful. But for all those who
take a pride in our past
it was a hallowed place.

Originally it was one of
five separate buildings
erected in 1859 to house
various government depart-
ments — administration,
legislative hall, lands and
works, printing office and
justice. At the time they

were built there was con-
siderable, criticism of the
cost, the separation of gov-
ernment departments in
different buildings and Gov-
ernor James Douglas’ fail-
ure to obtain consent of the
legislature for the under-
taking. Douglas ignored the
criticism and reportedly de-
frayed part of the $100,000
cost — a large sum for the
infant colony of Vancouver

Island —- out of Hudson’s

Bay Company funds.
xt os be 3
Here. on March 10, 1867,
Amor De Cosmos, then edi-
tor of the Victoria Stand-
ard, introduced an historic
resolution in the first legis-

lature of the united colonies
of Vancouver Island and
British Columbia. That res-
olution asked for the ad-
mission of British Colum-
bia into Confederation.

From here, De Cosmos,
John Robson and Captain
Edward Stamp, all execu-
tive members of the Con-
federation League formed
in May 1868, rallied the
colonists for the building of
a Canadian nation set from
the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The ideas they fought for
in the old legislative hall,
against Dr. J. S. Helmcken
and those who favored an-
nexation to the United
States, triumphed. On Sep-
tember. 14, 1868, they were
set out in the declaration of
the Yale Convention, which
held that government should
exist by free consent of the
governed and charged that
the governor and his offi-
cial majority, by denying
the true principle of respon-
sible government, constitut-
ed a despotism.

The Yale Convention call-
ed for immediate union with
Canada. Less than three

years later, on July 20, 1871
British Columbia entered
Confederation and on Feb-
ruary 15, 1872 the first leg-
islative assembly of the new

province met in the old
legislative hall.
tt m ot
The old: hall continued

in use until 1898 when the
new parliament buildings,
completed the previous
year at a cost of $981,359,
were formally opened.

Since then the hall has
had more uses, most recent-
ly as a mines laboratory
and civil defense auditor-
ium. It was the chemicais
from the laboratory, feeding
flames that leapt 150 feet
into the air, which made it
impossible for Victoria
firemen to save. the build-
ing.

It is ironical that the fed-
eral and provincial govern-
ments should be spending
$250,000 to restore old Fort
Langley and yet, for want
of a few thousand dollars,
for lack of a real apprecia-
tion of our history, our most
historic building has. been
lost.

S peakin :
briefly

EASY MONEY

A friend with whom I worl
ed with at one-time was tellif
me the other night that he!
playing the stock market. i

There are many workers W
dabble in the stock mat

r

|
}

Some are lucky, but most
Some are lucky, but in 18
most of them lost their shill”
It would not be amiss}
recall the following poem
W. S. Gilbert from his Utop!
Ltd. |

Some seven men form an #
sociation

(If possible, all Peers af
Baronets), p

They start off with a pu
declaration M

To what extent they meal
pay their debts.

That’s called their Capital
they are .wary

They will not quote it at!
sum immense. |

The figures immaterial ~)
may vary

From eighteen million’ ows!
eighteen pence.

I should put at rather W

The good sense of doings Fi

Will be evident at once 10
debtor, ‘

When it’s left to you

What amount you meat !
pay,

Why, the lower you can f
it at, the better,

They then proceed to ™
with all who'll trust %
Quite irrespective of §
capital fe
(It’s shady, but it’s sanol
by custom);
Bank, Railway,
ama Canal. : wit ‘
You can’t embark on tf ”
too tremendous f
It’s strictly fair, and pasel
common sense—
If you succeed your
are stupendous—
your eighteenpence. - of
Make the money-SPi
spin!
For you only stand to wi
And you'll never with
esty be twitted.
For nobody can know,
To a million or so. il
To what extent your ca”
committed!
If you come to grief and
itors are craving,
(For nothing that is pl
by mortal head
Is certain in this Vale of
row — saving
That one’s liability is Li
Do you suppose that
perdition? :
If so you're but a mom
dunce— ;
You merely file a wind
Petition,
And start another C0
at once!!
Though a Rothschild y
be
In your own capacity;
As a Company you’ve
utter sorrow — :
But the Liquidators $29
“Never mind — you ag |
pay,”
So you start another cos L
tomorrow! ,
R. €

Loan, oF yf

APRIL 5, 1957 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—’